In Yesterday’s post, I shared pictures of this beautiful Phoebe, an insect assassin that has taken up residence on my front porch.

Well, while I was outside admiring her beauty, another bug slayer made an appearance, and it was one that I had never photographed before! A male Summer Tanager!

This guy is stop-you-in-your-tracks stunning! Sitting in the sun with a brilliant blue backdrop made his colors look fake, but trust me, he really is that bright!

These seasonal songbirds arrive here in north Georgia just as the trees are sprouting their spring leaves and, despite their vibrant color, are quite adept at hiding in the tree-tops. The good news is that even when you can’t see them, you can still hear them. They are constant crooners.

Besides their beauty, what is wonderful about Summer Tanagers is that they eats wasps! They will stay concealed amidst the leaves…

…and then dart out and snare an unsuspecting target.

Once the Tanager catches the wasp, he will beat it before he eats it, body slamming it against a branch to remove the stinger. It is fascinating!

I am thrilled that these birds should be around throughout the summer months, so hopefully this was not a one and done experience.

Now, if I could just get him to show up on an overcast day and pose on a leafless limb with a clear background with a bee dangling from his beak and his yellow-toned bride by his side….hey, it doesn’t hurt to hope, right!